Pump



Pah 14, 1967 Inlet' F. W. INMAN PUMP Filed March #3 1965 BYf Mw?? INVENTOR F7190 6J- Inman La@ "L ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent O The invention described herein may be manufactured and fused by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The present invention relates to a reciprocating pump driven by electrical energy pulses through the intermediary of an energy storing device, such as a spring. There is no mechanical connection lbetween the exterior electrical elements and the interior mechanical pumping elements. Therefore, no -uid seal is required.

This is an improvement over my copending application for Pump, filed January 7, 1965, Serial No. 424,155, now Patent No. 3,282,220.

In the drawing, the single ligure is a longitudinal crosssection through a preferred embodiment of my invention.

Pump casing 1 is substantially cylindrical and is made of a nonmagnetic material. The inlet or suction end of the cylinder is closed by a member 2 and has an inlet check valve 3 therein to prevent backtiow of fluid as the pump plunger is drawn toward the inlet end of the pump. The outlet or pressu-re end of the cylinder is closed by a member 4 and may have an outlet check valve 5 therein.

Magnetized plunger 6 may have a check valve 7 therein to permit uid to iiow through the plunger when the plunger is moved toward the inlet end of the pump and to prevent lluid dow throu-gh the plunger when it is moved toward the outlet end.

Solenoid coil 8, when energized, draws magnetizable plunger 6 toward the inlet end of the pump against the thrust of spring 9. Plunger 6 may, under certain conditions, approach the outlet end at a very rapid rate. Therefore, a buffer spring 10 may be added to absorb the energy of the fast travellin-g plunger and start it back toward the inlet end. This conserves the energy and minimizes shock and internal damage to the pump, eig. when the pump is racing and is pumping little or no uid.

Power `may be supplied to coil 8 from power source 11 through an electrical make-and-break system comprising points 12 and members 14, 15. Switch 16 may be used to start or stop the pump.

It will be noted that plunger 6 is different from that disclosed in my copending case identiiied above. The plunger is actually, permanently magnetized, not merely magnetizable to complete a magnetic circuit to members 14, 15. Therefore, as magnetized plunger 6 approaches member 14 the magnetic attraction draws element 15 down, to close points 12. This makes it possible to eliminate an exterior electro-magnet (as shown at 13 in my copending case) and yet retain the function. And, an increase in operating efciency is obtained Abecause the magnetized plunger 6 is attracted by electro-magnet 8 with a lower current and magnetic lield.

From the foregoing it is seen that a part has been eliminated, the function has been retained, and operating efficiency has been increased.

Operation Upon start-up the parts will assume the positions illustrated in the drawing. Magnetic 'force from magnetized plunger 6 travels through nonmfagnetic pump casing 1 to magnetizable mem-ber 14. The then magnetized mem- Iber 14 attracts magnetizable member 15 to draw points 12 together thereby completing the circuit to coil 8.

Magnetic flux from coil 8 passes through cylinder 1 and attracts magnetized pl-u-nger 6 toward the inlet end of the pump, compressing spring 9. Fluid trapped between plunger 6 and valve 3 is forced through the plunger and valve 7. As magnetized plunger 6 moves past magnetizable member 14 the magnetic circuit therebetween is broken, points 12 open and coil 8 is de-energized. Valve 7 closes and spring 9 forces plunger 6 toward the outlet end to pump tiuid out through valve 5. As the plunger approaches the outlet end the lmagnetic circuit is completed from 6 to 14, 15 and points 12 are closed to energize coil 8 to draw plunger 6 back toward the inlet end.

1f desired, valve 5, or spring 10', or iboth, could be omitted. However, these parts are simple and inexpensive and they add to proper functioning of the apparatus as explained hereinbefore.

This pump is simple and inexpensive in construction and efficient in operation. There is no mechanical seal between the lelectrical drivin-g element and the armaturepump plunger. No mechanical connections are required between the armature-pump plunger and the electrical make-and-break point set. Therefore, no uid seal is required because no mechanically moving part projects through the pump housing. This eliminates leakage and possible fire or explosion if the liuid being pumped is gas or gasoline, as examples.

During a large percentage of the time no electrical power is required. Electrical power is used for a splitsecond and -this power is converted to potential energy st-ored in spring 9. That energy then stands ready to pump fluid instantly upon demand, or to pump slowly over a period of seconds, minutes or hours, or to pump fluid when called upon at a much later time, and, until that stored energy is used, no further electrical power is required.

I claim:

Pump and motor means comprising: a substantially cylindrical casing; means to close one end of said casing; fluid inlet means adjacent to said end; inlet valve means for said fluid inlet means; means to close the other end of said casing; fluid outlet means adjacent to said other end of said casing; an outlet valve for said pump and motor means; magnetized pump plunger means in said casing; means urgin-g said plunger means in one direction; electromagnetic means urging said plunger means in the opposite direction when energized; and means to energize said electromagnetic means when said plunger means is moved to a position toward said outlet end; said electromagnetic means comprising a solenoid coil surrounding said cylindrical casing and said casing comprising a nonmagnetizable material whereby, upon energization of said solenoid coil, said magnetized pump plunger is attracted into said coil against ythe force of said means which urges the plunger means in said one direction; said means to energize said electromagnetic means comprisin-g; a magnetizable member operable to close and ope-n a circuit to said electromagnetic means; said magnetized pump plunger means serving to attract said ma-g- References Cited by the Examiner netizable member as said plunger approaches said other UNITED STATES PATENTS end of said casing to thereby close said circu1t to said it approaches said other end and to assist in returning said plunger toward said one end; and an additional l0 outlet valve in the path of iluid ow past said plunger.

ROBERT M. WALKER, Primary Examiner. 

